NJ Justices Revamp Test For Certain Zoning Variances

By Carla Baranauckas

The New Jersey Supreme Court revised a decades-old legal test governing use variances for "inherently beneficial" projects, ruling Monday that applicants must show that a proposed development will not substantially impair a municipality's zoning plan before a zoning board balances the project's public benefits against its downsides.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

2nd Circ. Rejects Bid To End NYC's Congestion Pricing

By Linda Chiem

The Second Circuit on Monday upheld New York City's congestion pricing, rejecting two suburban counties' claims that Manhattan's congestion pricing tolls are discriminatory and unconstitutionally restrict motorists' right to travel.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Javerbaum Wurgaft Beats Challenge To Defamation Suit Win

By George Woolston

New Jersey law firms posting about their cases and achievements are protected by the state's anti-SLAPP law, the state's Appellate Division ruled Monday in backing the dismissal of Holtec International's suit against Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins PC over a blog post about the firm's representation of a former Holtec executive.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Seward & Kissel Fights Bid For Atty Privilege Ruling In NJ Suit

By Jake Maher

Seward & Kissel LLP is pushing back on a request from a former client, the wife of a billionaire hedge fund founder, for a sweeping ruling that no documents or testimony related to its legal work could be protected by attorney-client privilege and calling for a special adjudicator to handle discovery issues in her malpractice case against the firm.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

NJ Delays Registry Aspect Of Newly Enacted Data Broker Law

By Allison Grande

New Jersey regulators won't immediately enforce a sweeping data broker law that took effect in June, announcing Friday covered businesses have to register and pay a potentially hefty registration fee until spring, and it would consider complaints about the law's lack of clarity in policing its sensitive data sales ban.

Bill attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

NJ Aims To Protect Ratepayers With Nuclear Power Guidelines

By Elaine Briseño

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Monday signed into law a bill intended to ensure consumers don't bear the costs of nuclear power projects needed to help address the growing demand for electricity driven primarily by data center consumption.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

12 Democratic AGs Challenge Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal

By Bryan Koenig

A dozen Democratic attorneys general on Monday sought to block Paramount Skydance's proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing in a California federal court challenge that the deal threatens competition for film distribution and basic cable.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

DHS Revives Plan For NJ Immigrant Detention Center

By Tom Lotshaw

The U.S. government told a federal judge that it's actually still considering plans to turn a New Jersey warehouse into an immigrant detention center, a week after it reported it no longer intended to pursue the challenged project.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

J&J Asks 3rd Circ. To Block Return Of Ex-Worker's Fee Claims

By P.J. D'Annunzio

Johnson & Johnson has asked the Third Circuit to keep dismissed excessive fee claims out of a proposed class action alleging the company charged employees too much for a prescription drug benefits program, arguing that the lower court correctly tossed that portion of the suit for lack of standing.

Brief attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

How Ch. 11 Debtors Can Stop MCA Receivables Raids

Approximately 42 merchant cash advance lenders are involved in the recently filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy of SIMAD Holdings, illustrating that debtors-in-possession must work with committees to preserve the receivable stream before litigating priority, says attorney Kenneth Rosen.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judge Newman Won't Reopen High Court Suspension Battle

By Theresa Schliep

Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman did not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider her bid to save a suit against her fellow judges for suspending her from the bench over her refusal to undergo medical tests.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Jackson Walker Settlements Over Judge Romance Get Greenlit

By Emma Cueto

A Texas bankruptcy judge has recommended approval of nine settlements regarding legal fees paid to Jackson Walker LLP connected to a former firm partner's romantic relationship with a then-bankruptcy judge, with the firm agreeing to pay $4.79 million in total, including $1.4 million to the estate of J.C. Penney.

Report attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Trump-IRS Settlement Result Of Sham Suit, Judge Rules

By Jack McLoone

President Donald Trump's $10 billion suit against his own Internal Revenue Service and the resulting settlement deal lacked a legitimate controversy, given Trump's control over both the agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, a Florida district judge said Monday in an order barring Trump or others from citing the deal.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Wells Fargo's $50M Deal In Atty's Ponzi Scheme Gets 1st OK

By Gina Kim

Wells Fargo will pay $50 million to settle a proposed class action alleging it knowingly helped a Las Vegas attorney run a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme deceiving investor victims into fronting money for borrowers awaiting personal injury settlement payouts, according to a preliminary approval order issued in Nevada federal court.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Mass Tort Firms Hit With Suit Over AI Solicitation Calls

By Lynn LaRowe

A Michigan-based mass tort law firm and a pair of affiliate firms are violating federal and Texas state laws through an artificial intelligence-generated telemarketing campaign meant to solicit clients, according to a putative class action filed in Texas federal court.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Senate Confirms SDTX Judge Pick Tied To Gun Group

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate voted 46-44 Monday evening to confirm Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Arthur "Rob" Jones as a U.S. district judge to serve on the Southern District of Texas bench.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Blanche Hearing To Proceed After Graham's Death

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate Judiciary Committee will still hold the confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche's nomination to be attorney general on Wednesday, despite the death of committee member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., over the weekend. 

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week handled disputes involving corporate control, post-closing competition, executive departures, arbitration awards and shareholder litigation.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »